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Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)

Description of Substance: Colorless liquid with a mild, ether-like odor.

LEL(@200 F): 1.1% (10% LEL(@200 F), 1,100 ppm)

Original (SCP) IDLH: 700 ppm

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the mouse 7-hour LC50 of 700 ppm [Werner et al. 1943 cited by Patty 1963, Browning 1965, and ACGIH 1971]. No other useful data are available on which to base the IDLH. The chosen IDLH is probably conservative, because Patty [1963] reported that exposure of workers for several hours to 300 to 600 ppm would probably cause respiratory and eye irritation, narcosis, and damage to the kidney and liver. Both Patty [1963] and ACGIH [1971] noted that humans appear to be more resistant to the toxic effects of 2-butoxyethanol [Carpenter et al. 1956], which further indicates that the chosen IDLH might be conservative.

Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA

Lethal concentration data:

Species

Reference

LC50

(ppm)

LCLo

(ppm)

Time

Adjusted 0.5-hr

LC (CF)

Derived

Value

Rat

Mouse

Dodd et al. 1983

Werner et al. 1943

450

700

-----

-----

4 hr

7 hr

900 ppm (2.0)

1,680 ppm (2.4)

90 ppm

168 ppm

Lethal dose data:

Species

Reference

Route

LD50

(mg/kg)

LDLo

(mg/kg)

Adjusted LD

Derived value

Mouse

Rat

Rabbit

G. pig

Rat

Carpenter et al. 1956

Dow 1986

Dow 1986

Smyth et al. 1941

Smyth et al. 1941

oral

oral

oral

oral

oral

1,230

470

300

1,200

1,480

-----

-----

-----

-----

-----

1,754 ppm

670 ppm

428 ppm

1,711 ppm

2,110 ppm

175 ppm

67 ppm

43 ppm

171 ppm

211 ppm

Other animal data: RD50 (mouse), 2,824 ppm [Alarie 1981].

Human data: It has been stated that humans would be able to tolerate saturated concentrations (i.e., about 1,000 ppm) for 1 hour without experiencing any significant nonreversible effects [Carpenter et al. 1956].

Revised IDLH: 700 ppm [Unchanged]

Basis for revised IDLH: Based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Carpenter et al. 1956], a value of about 1,000 ppm would have been appropriate for 2-butoxyethanol. However, the original IDLH for 2-butoxyethanol (700 ppm) is not being revised at this time.